“…we know that as soon as one understands how to deal with God, he will automatically deal very nicely with others.”

“Although there may be some difficulties within our society, these things are not very important. What is important is that we should simply fix our mind on Krishna’s Lotus Feet. This is His instruction in the Bhagavad-gita. So we associate with one another so that we can assist each other in hearing and chanting about Krishna. That is the purpose of our Society.” (Srila Prabhupada letter, November 22, 1974)

On July 29, 1971, Srila Prabhupada was interviewed on television at the University of Gainesville in Florida (which His Divine Grace described as “a remote corner of the world, thousands of miles from the birthplace of Lord Caitanya”).

At one point, Srila Prabhupada was asked the following question:

Interviewer: How would I recognize a true follower of the Krsna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be?

Srila Prabhupada: He’d be a very perfect gentleman, that’s all. You could not find any fault in him.

What’s particularly striking about his reply is that Srila Prabhupada never mentioned any external symptoms such as dress, title, social position, or even what religious or spiritual practices one followed. His evidence was the result — or fruit — of spiritual advancement. As he often said, “You can judge a thing by its result.”

Earlier in the conversation, Srila Prabhupada informed the interviewer that, “We are not concerned with how one man deals with another man.” Rather surprised, the interviewer asked, “Isn’t that part of your Krsna consciousness movement?” Srila Prabhupada replied, “No, this is not important because we know that as soon as one understands how to deal with God, he will automatically deal very nicely with others.”

This Movement is Srila Prabhupada’s Mercy Upon the Conditioned Souls of this World
Originally published as; Reply To Chakra Ritvik Debate, but timely today as the Battle over Bangalore continues…
By; Locanananda dasa
Editorial, Jun 30 (VNN)

Perhaps the most significant point is, that for members of ISKCON, the most important source of authoritative statements concerning the process of initiation are the words, spoken or written, of our own spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.

After offering his association to his disciples over the years, by the time he was ready to announce his plan for future initiations after his disappearance, he could judge exactly to what extent his leading disciples would be able to follow in his footsteps by acting as gurus. Therefore, in his final instructions, he announced that he would recommend some of his disciples to serve as officiating acharyas, acting as his representatives. He did not declare anyone to be a full-fledged, fully realized, fully independent diksa guru to be worshiped by all as he himself had been worshiped. Instead, he named certain members of the GBC to occupy this post and to perform the service of accepting disciples on his behalf in addition to all of their other duties as zonal secretaries.

It was (and still is) obvious that no single individual could have been called upon to succeed him as head of the institution. This was never what Srila Prabhupada had in mind for ISKCON, even for future generations.… As a result of their misunderstanding of Srila Prabhupada’s final instructions, the GBC members who began to initiate thought that they were personally capable of delivering their disciples from birth and death because they were diksa gurus. The long-lasting effect of the illusion they created was to push Srila Prabhupada into the background by denying his second generation of followers direct access to him.

…We all need to be reminded that this movement is Srila Prabhupada’s mercy upon the conditioned souls of this world. It is Srila Prabhupada who is meant to receive the credit and glorification for whatever is achieved by his followers throughout the course of this movement. As an eternal associate of Lord Sri Krishna, Srila Prabhupada is capable of entering the heart of any sincere follower and inspiring and guiding him or her from within.…And we should never think that he has abandoned us and is no longer available to us despite our most sincere prayers. His Divine Grace can be reached by whoever opens any of his books to page one and hears from him by submissive oral reception. And the role of anyone who performs initiations in ISKCON now or in the future is to simply encourage everyone to adhere themselves strictly to what has been set forth by our spiritual preceptor as the message of the disciplic succession he represents.

The pains of this struggle for truth have been borne silently by the devotees of ISKCON-Bangalore for the last nine years. So far we have been trying our best to contain this within the institution.

However, it has become necessary today, unfortunately, to disseminate the sensitive information of purely internal nature in this paper. Our adversaries are exploiting our silence by perpetrating false and maligning propaganda against the devotees of ISKCON-Bangalore, even more vigorously than ever before, in order to demean our cause, and sidestep the real issue.

As supporters and donors of this organization, we believe it is your right to be informed by us of the real issues that have transpired in this matter.

What Happened to the Hare Krishna’s?
Chapter Four
By Sriman Madhuvisa Prabhu

Srila Prabhupada – A Transcendental Manager

The success of ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) was a direct result of Srila Prabhupada’s devotion, determination, purity and intelligence, however, he was a soul completely surrendered to Krishna. He depended completely on Krishna. So ISKCON succeeded because Srila Prabhupada was totally dedicated to the order of his spiritual master and Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada was the force behind ISKCON but the thousands of young boys and girls who surrendered to him and accepted him as their spiritual master were the Krishna conscious soldiers fighting maya (illusion) on her own territory. Srila Prabhupada was always unlimitedly grateful to his disciples for helping him fulfill his spiritual master’s orders. He even sometimes said, “My spiritual master has sent you all to teach me how to be Krishna conscious.”

Srila Prabhupada didn’t want to control everything himself. He wanted to encourage his disciples to take responsibility and use their intelligence in devising ways to spread Krishna consciousness. He wanted his disciples to become competent in all areas of practical work and management as well as being learned in the philosophy and expert preachers. He didn’t like centralization or bureaucracy. His management program was always for independent and self-supporting centres not in any way dependant on any other centre. The only exceptions to this independent and self-supporting model were his Indian projects where he made Bombay the head office and he personally managed everything from there. He also centralized the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust as it would have been unworkable to have every temple printing books. There had to be some central body to coordinate book publication.

…I have heard from Jayatirtha you want to make big plans for centralization of management, taxes, monies, corporate status, book-keeping, credit, like that. I do not approve of such a plan. Do not centralize anything. Each temple must remain independent and self-sufficient. That was my plan from the very beginning, why you are thinking otherwise? Once before you wanted to do something centralizing with your GBC meeting, and if I did not interfere the whole thing would have been killed. Do not think in this way of big corporation, big credits, centralization – these are all nonsense proposals. Only thing I wanted was that books printing and distribution should be centralized, therefore I appointed you and Bali Mardana to do it. Otherwise, management, everything, should be done locally by local men. Accounts must be kept, things must be in order and lawfully done, but this should be each temple’s concern, not yours. (to Karandhara 22 Dec, 1972)

Srila Prabhupada wanted a confederation of independent ISKCON centres each managed by a Temple President, Secretary and Treasurer. His mood was that each Temple President should develop the preaching in his area at his own creative rate.

The formula for ISKCON organization is very simple and can be understood by everyone. The world is divided into 12 zones. For each zone there is one zonal secretary. His duty is to see that the spiritual principles are being upheld very nicely in all the temples of his zone. Otherwise each temple shall be independent and self-supporting. Let every temple president work according to his own capacity to improve the Krishna consciousness of his centre. So far the practical management is concerned, that is required, but not that we shall become too much absorbed in fancy organization. Our business is spiritual life, so whatever organization needs to be done, the presidents may handle and take advice and assistance from the GBC representative. In this way let the Society’s work go on and everyone increase their service at their own creative rate.

…We request that everyone take these formulas to heart and execute them very conscientiously. In this way we shall certainly be successful in pushing on this movement. (Signed by Srila Prabhupada & Karandhara dasa 22 Apr, 1972)

In the response to “Invisible Hare Krishnas” and “Publicly Representing ISKCON”, I’d like to comment. It is true, that Harinam has taken a back seat, we see it all around different ISKCON communities, but the wonderful thing is that we have the ability to go out there and do harinam. There is nothing stopping us but our minds.

(Note: both above mentioned articles follow this one.)

There may be politics, controllers, sentimentalist, fanatics, “fringies”, innocent, enthusiastic or confused members among us in this Sankirtan Movement…and that includes all of us to some degree, but the amazing thing is…we can pick up the mrdangas and karatalas and sing the names of God in the streets, just like Lord Caitanya wants us to. We just have to want to do it.

My husband and I and a dear devotee friend of ours, we go out on harinam in a small town in New Zealand. The response is lovely. People smile, do a little dance, we do a few books, have a laugh and feel joyful afterwards. We are going to start a small chanting group soon… if we can do it, anyone can!

Yes, it is sad about how things are not like the old days, but we don’t live in the old days anymore… we live in 2011 and we need to get proactive to save ourselves and to spread the love to others.

Yes, there is politics in some temples…so what! Take Prabhupada’s books, take your instruments and chant! Why must politics stop our ability to chant and spread the Holy names around? The Holy Names are not owned by anyone…just chant! :)
A lot of people around here, they don’t even know what a Hare Krsna is and the other day a man came up to us and said, “Hey! where have you guys been? I saw you guys in the 80’s last! Glad you are still around!”

A man came running towards us one day and said, “Do you guys have that…that…um….as it…um as it is book?”

Yep, he wanted a Bhagavad Gita As it is!

Yet another man came towards us one day and he was a big guy with tattoos and had a kind of angry expression on his face. By the time he got to us, he smiled and said, “Hey! I met our head honcho guy…you know…your main man.” Since my husband got initiated in the 80’s he assumed this guy met one of the then ISKCON Zonal gurus, but the man said “No, the Indian man, very humble man. He was very humble.”

We showed him a picture of Srila Prabhupada and he exclaimed, “Yes! That’s Him!”

So, there are special people out there, people Lord Caitanya and Prabhupada need to touch through the Holy Names, through the books.

There may be so many things about our society that we can’t understand. Why who did what and why things are the way they are. We may never learn the answers. But the International Society of Krsna Consciousness is Lord Caitanya’s MOVEMENT… we have got to MOVE along with it. It will move with or without us.

If a certain group of people think they own it…well, guess what, they don’t! If you can’t fit into the mainstream devotee circles, start a circle you can fit into and chant chant chant. :)
None but ourselves can free our mind.

All glories to the Sri Krsna Sankirtan, which cleanses the heart!

Just pick up your Mrdangas and Karatalas and chant, oh descendants of Prabhupada!

If a family keeps a cow and calf and has a few acres of land, a vegetarian diet is easily sustainable. I know a family in Colorado whose cow gives nine gallons of milk a day and she lactates for four to five years. They have enough land for the cow and her offspring to graze on and even with several months of winter they can easily maintain their cow. (see CFC News July 2010).

If you mean to ask will protecting a family cow produce enough income to maintain herself and provide for a family of five people with urban habits, then no, it won’t.
In an agrarian setting cows actually give more than they take.

However, when one tries to produce milk for commercial purposes and requires expensive farming equipment (tractors, bailers, combines, silos etc.) has to pay outrageous prices for veterinary aid, purchase homogenization and pasteurization equipment, conveyances to transport the milk to urban areas and so on, sustainability becomes a problem. In short, what makes cow protection unsustainable today is urbanization and consumerism.

Remove these two from the picture and you have the formula for a peaceful existence.
A large herd is sustainable in an agrarian community with common pasturing grounds and bordering forests, not otherwise.

I have visited village communities in India which still resemble the ancient Vedic model where every household hosts a few cows and a few cowherd men or women take the collective herd out to pasture daily leaving the calves behind. At the end of each day there is a celebration when the cows return with their stomachs full and many with udders full as well. The only investment is the time it takes for a few people to accompany the cows in their daily wanderings.

The cows are milked; the calves are fed; the milk boiled on a cow dung fire; hot milk is served; the remainder left overnight to become yoghurt; which is later churned to make butter; and the nourishing buttermilk is offered to unexpected guests and whoever else. I have never witnessed a more joyous existence. But the villagers I have examined pay their bills by farming, not selling dairy products.

“Excess males and unproductive females” are terms used by commercial dairy farmers that have nothing to do with cow protection but everything to do with cow exploitation. Urbanization and mechanization have rendered bulls unemployed whereas in the Vedic model the bull calves are valued more than the females as there is always ploughing and draught work to be done.

Since their dung and urine have numerous practical uses in agrarian life, and since Vedantists consider tending cows and pleasing them to be an activity which pleases God, real cow protectors always consider cows and bulls productive even when dry, retired or diseased.

We do not encourage commercial dairy farming or any type of attempt to make living from selling cow products. A profit orientation invariably leads to decisions which sell the cow short.

The term “humane culling” is an oxymoron at best or a euphemism at worst. If you are humane, how can you take the life of a creature who has not agreed to give it up?
Why not call it what it is?- – killing to increase profit. People who coin such terms do so to minimize the guilt resulting from acting against their conscience.

Other examples are “terminating the pregnancy” instead of saying “killing the child in the womb”; or “pacifying the enemy” instead of bombing the hell out of them; and so on. When the sinister want to manipulate others to perform horrible and unbeneficial acts which may disturb their conscience, they employ such devices to facilitate the phenomenon of self-deception.

Creation and employment of such devices indicates malignant narcissism.
In an agrarian society cows have a wonderful effect on the ecology. Their dung is known to be the best fertilizer and their hooves and horns have a nourishing effect on the earth.
You may find Rudolf Steiner’s (the founder of biodynamics) work interesting. A Google search will yield much on his work. Since in the Vedic formula, ahimsa is the first principle, I think a vegan diet is better than one including commercial dairy products obtained by violence. But the best and most wholesome diet is one which includes milk obtained from a loving cow who is treated like one’s own mother.

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto my Spiritual Master who has opened my eyes, blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.”

No moment I’ve lived in nor emotion I’ve shared ever found any real meaning before I learnt of the existence of your most blessed and treasured Movement. No laughter I’d ever uttered, nor tears I’d ever shed could have so completely captured my very soul than those I’d experienced by just dancing, singing, and chanting before the Deities in the temple.

From a heart so bound up with materialistic yearnings, I’ve now learnt how to free myself from all my embittered entanglements and immerse myself instead within the eternal beauty which I’ve found pervades my very being.

But for you Srila Prabhupada, I would have fallen into the deepest well of my false ego and would have remained blinded forever from all the most wonderful ecstatic feelings that I have now learnt to experience. There are no words that would befit my lips, nor deeds fine that I could impart that would ever express my eternal gratitude for your having saved me from this ocean of material existence.

By your mercy Lord Krishna may I never again fall, but continue to rise ever upward pursuing the pathways to the Spiritual Planets.

Gangamayee devi dasi

Note: Gangamayee prabhu left our world six years ago on Srila Sanatana Goswami’s disappearance day, Vyasa Purnima. She chanted loudly for seven and a half hours, and left this world with the Lord’s Holy Name on her tongue. The Supreme decoration for a valiant soul! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada’s mercy and to his loving daughters and sons. — Submitted by Annada devi dasi

Madhu Pandit Dasa (former name Madhusudan S) was born in 1956 in Trivandrum, India. As a pre-degree student, he was selected by the National Science Talent search program of the country. He completed his B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT-Mumbai in the year 1980. During his days in IIT, he became interested in the books of Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON. While he was doing his M.Tech course in IIT-Mumbai in 1981, he dedicated himself to the service of humanity by becoming a full-time member of ISKCON.

He began to travel all over South India organizing programs to increase the awareness of ISKCON and its mission. Seeing his potential as a leader, he was soon made the President of ISKCON, Trivandrum. In 1983, he became involved in overseeing the activities of ISKCON, Bangalore along with his responsibilities in Trivandrum temple. At that time a small fledgling centre in a rented apartment in an inconspicuous neighborhood of the city. Under his leadership, soon the popularity and activities of ISKCON-Bangalore began to blossom. In 1988, the Government of Karnataka allotted 6.5 acres of a rocky abandoned hillock in the city to set up a cultural complex. Being dissatisfied with what the commissioned architects were proposing for the cultural complex, he took upon himself to design the complex according to what he had envisioned. Soon he also started organizing efforts to raise funds for the construction of the complex. The next ten years unfolded an unprecedented scale of development on the hillock, now called the Hare Krishna Hill: the design and construction of a colossal cultural complex, mobilization of support and fund raising to a tune of Rs. 38 crores (Rs.380 million or $ 9.5 million) and recruiting and training nearly 100 full-time dedicated members of ISKCON. The monumental Cultural Complex was inaugurated in 1997 by the then President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma.

In 1994, he initiated an integrated social development project for the benefit of the rural people of Mysore and Mandya districts. A model, prototype organic farm based on natural and earth-friendly farming methods along with an internationally accredited farmer-training center has been setup in the 110-acre land on the banks of river Kaveri in Srirangapatam.

The primary purpose of this is to establish self-sufficient farming communities. The farming techniques employed are traditional and organic to promote pro-environmental agriculture. Hundreds of farmers are deriving inspiration to adopt environmental and soil friendly agricultural methods researched and disseminated scientifically from this model farm. Rural women are trained in this farm in the practices and methods of organic farming. This farm is also supporting hundreds of farmers during the transition from chemical to organic farms. Many neighboring farms have successfully converted into organic farms.

He initiated the Akshaya Patra program to provide mid-day meals to underprivileged children in the Government schools of Bangalore Rural District during July 2000.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra

Duryodhana clearly felt that the victory of the Kurus depended on the presence of Bhīṣmadeva. He was confident of the full support of Bhīṣmadeva and Droṇācārya in the battle because he well knew that they did not even speak a word when Arjuna’s wife Draupadī, in her helpless condition, had appealed to them for justice while she was being forced to strip naked in the presence of all the great generals in the assembly.

…it is already concluded that all of them would die in the Battle of Kurukṣetra for joining the party of the sinful Duryodhana. Duryodhana was, of course, confident of his victory on account of the above-mentioned combined strength of his friends.

TEXT 1

TRANSLATION

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O Sañjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukṣetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu do, being desirous to fight?

PURPORT

Bhagavad-gītā is the widely read theistic science summarized in the Gītā-māhātmya (Glorification of the Gītā). There it says that one should read Bhagavad-gītā very scrutinizingly with the help of a person who is a devotee of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and try to understand it without personally motivated interpretations. The example of clear understanding is there in the Bhagavad-gītā itself, in the way the teaching is understood by Arjuna, who heard the Gītā directly from the Lord. If someone is fortunate enough to understand Bhagavad-gītā in that line of disciplic succession, without motivated interpretation, then he surpasses all studies of Vedic wisdom, and all scriptures of the world. One will find in the Bhagavad-gītā all that is contained in other scriptures, but the reader will also find things which are not to be found elsewhere. That is the specific standard of the Gītā. It is the perfect theistic science because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

The topics discussed by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Sañjaya, as described in the Mahābhārata, form the basic principle for this great philosophy. It is understood that this philosophy evolved on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, which is a sacred place of pilgrimage from the immemorial time of the Vedic age. It was spoken by the Lord when He was present personally on this planet for the guidance of mankind.

The word dharma-kṣetra (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because, on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the father of the Kurus, was highly doubtful about the possibility of his sons’ ultimate victory. In his doubt, he inquired from his secretary Sañjaya, “What did my sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu do?” He was confident that both his sons and the sons of his younger brother Pāṇḍu were assembled in that Field of Kurukṣetra for a determined engagement of the war. Still, his inquiry is significant. He did not want a compromise between the cousins and brothers, and he wanted to be sure of the fate of his sons on the battlefield. Because the battle was arranged to be fought at Kurukṣetra, which is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship—even for the denizens of heaven—Dhṛtarāṣṭra became very fearful about the influence of the holy place on the outcome of the battle. He knew very well that this would influence Arjuna and the sons of Pāṇḍu favorably, because by nature they were all virtuous. Sañjaya was a student of Vyāsa, and therefore, by the mercy of Vyāsa, Sañjaya was able to envision the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra even while he was in the room of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. And so, Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked him about the situation on the battlefield.

Both the Pāṇḍavas and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra belong to the same family, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mind is disclosed herein. He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus, and he separated the sons of Pāṇḍu from the family heritage. One can thus understand the specific position of Dhṛtarāṣṭra in his relationship with his nephews, the sons of Pāṇḍu. As in the paddy field the unnecessary plants are taken out, so it is expected from the very beginning of these topics that in the religious field of Kurukṣetra where the father of religion, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, was present, the unwanted plants like Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son Duryodhana and others would be wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons, headed by Yudhiṣṭhira, would be established by the Lord. This is the significance of the words dharma-kṣetre and kuru-kṣetre, apart from their historical and Vedic importance.

TEXT 14

TRANSLATION

On the other side, both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.

PURPORT

In contrast with the conchshell blown by Bhīṣmadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are described as transcendental. The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated that there was no hope of victory for the other side because Kṛṣṇa was on the side of the Pāṇḍavas. Jayas tu pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ yeṣāṁ pakṣe janārdanaḥ. Victory is always with persons like the sons of Pāṇḍu because Lord Kṛṣṇa is associated with them. And whenever and wherever the Lord is present, the goddess of fortune is also there because the goddess of fortune never lives alone without her husband. Therefore, victory and fortune were awaiting Arjuna, as indicated by the transcendental sound produced by the conchshell of Viṣṇu, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. Besides that, the chariot on which both the friends were seated was donated by Agni (the fire-god) to Arjuna, and this indicated that this chariot was capable of conquering all sides, wherever it was drawn over the three worlds.

ISKCON-Bangalore was registered under Karnataka Societies Registration Act at Bangalore in May 1978 as a legally independent society with objectives similar to the objectives of the first society, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Inc. that Srila Prabhupada founded personally in 1966 at New York. Since then, ISKCON-Bangalore society is functioning in Bangalore as a member of the worldwide confederation of ISKCON temples.

ISKCON-Bangalore was registered by Shankabrit Dasa under the direction of Hamsadutta Swami, the then member of the original Governing Body Commission appointed by Srila Prabhupada, who was in charge of Bangalore.

In the year 2001, several hundreds of fanatic disciples of the self-proclaimed ‘gurus’ made a vain attempt to physically storm Bangalore temple and throw out the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore and take illegal possession of the temple property. In defense of this ISKCON-Bangalore was obliged to file a suit being OS No.7934/01 seeking an order of injunction restraining ISKCON Bombay Society and others from interfering with our possession of the temple property. The Trial Court did not grant the injunction, but an appeal filed before the Hon’ble High Court granted the injunction sought for. The said order was confirmed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. The matter is pending adjudication.

When the matter stands thus, absurd propaganda is being made by the agents of the self-proclaimed ‘gurus’ that Madhu Pandit Dasa ‘created’ the ISKCON-Bangalore society to grab the property of the temple on Hare Krishna Hill. This misinformation is indeed entirely false, baseless and ridiculous since Madhu Pandit Dasa joined ISKCON movement only in 1981, whereas the ISKCON-Bangalore society was registered as early as 1978.

It was the direction of Srila Prabhupada to register legally independent societies in the name and style of nternational Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) all over the world. In Dec. 1972, Srila Prabhupada wrote to one of his senior disciples, “Never mind there may be botheration to register each centre, take tax certificate each, become separate corporations in each state.” (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Karandhara Das, Bombay, 22nd Dec 1972). Accordingly, today, there are hundreds of ISKCON societies incorporated all over the world. It was on the basis of this worldwide practice, that the then GBC member in charge of Karnataka, Hamsaduta Swami, directed Shankabrit Dasa to register the ISKCON-Bangalore society in Bangalore.

The divisional bench of the High court of Karnataka today restrained ISKCON Mumbai from dislodging or removing Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa as President, other office bearers and employees of ISKCON Bangalore for 6 weeks. The High Court further observed that there are various yeoman services being rendered from the institution to the society and abrupt changes in the management, missionaries, employees and other members would disrupt the same leading to far reaching consequences.

The High Court also observed that other activities, organizations or trusts which are functioning from the Hare Krishna Hill premises are not part of this suit and hence their activities should go on unhindered.

The divisional bench of the High Court was giving their decision on the stay petition filed by ISKCON Bangalore. It may be recalled that the High court had set aside the verdict given by the Trail Court of Bangalore which had given absolute ownership of Sri Radha Krishna-chandra temple on Hare Krishna Hill to ISKCON Bangalore Society registered in 1978.
The counsel for ISKCON Bangalore said that the stay petition is not about the verdict and hence should be considered on the following grounds:

1. ISKCON Bangalore has been in de-facto possession of the Hare Krishna Hill premises for the last several decades and various court orders were in its support.

2. The practicality of any transfer of management will not be possible on an immediate basis.

3. ISKCON Bangalore has already given an undertaking in the Supreme Court that it will not alienate or part with the assets, and are willing to submit to any process of reporting to the court.

After hearing the objections of ISKCON Mumbai to this stay petition, the High Court bench consisting of Justice Nagmohan Das and Justice Arali Nagaraj gave their restraining order that ISKCON Mumbai shall not invoke their constitutional powers to dislodge Madhu Pandit Das, other current functionaries, missionary devotees and employees of ISKCON Bangalore serving in the temple from their services. The court also stated that Akshaya Patra and other trusts which are functioning from Hare Krishna Hill where ISKCON temple has been built are not party to the case and should function on their own. This order shall facilitate the smooth functioning of the various activities of ISKCON Bangalore and at the same time enable ISKCON Bangalore to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.

“ISKCON Bangalore will file an appeal in the Supreme Court shortly after obtaining and studying the order copy. We have full faith in the judiciary of our country and are confident that we will be able to present the case in our favor,” said Madhu Pandit Das, President of ISKCON Bangalore.

For ISKCON Bangalore, this is not a fight for properties but a sincere effort to re-establish Srila Prabhupada as the sole acharya or diksha guru of ISKCON. We are confident that truth will prevail and by the mercy of Sri Radha Krishna-chandra, our services to Their Lordships will continue unhindered.

Battles may be lost but war for Srila Prabhupada will be won

The divisional bench of the High Court of Karnataka gave its verdict on the appeal filed by ISKCON Mumbai. Honorable Justice H M Nagamohan Das and Honorable Justice Arali Nagaraj today gave their verdict on appeal filed by ISKCON Mumbai and set aside the Civil court’s judgement.

However, ISKCON Bangalore will pursue its case within the legal framework and will appeal against this decision in the Supreme Court. We have full faith in the judiciary of our country and are confident that we will be able to present the case in our favor.

It may be recalled that the City Trial court of Bangalore had given a judgment on April 17, 2009 stating that ISKCON Bangalore is the absolute owner of Sri Radha Krishna temple on Hare Krishna Hill. The Honorable Civil Court judge had also declared that ISKCON Bangalore is an independent legal entity and further restrained ISKCON Mumbai, their agents or representatives from interfering in the affairs of ISKCON, Bangalore by granting a permanent injunction.

Unfortunately, the Honorable High Court today set aside this 350 page judgement and gave its verdict overruling the earlier order.

The genesis of this dispute between ISKCON Mumbai and ISKCON Bangalore is related to the spiritual succession of the movement founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada had taught from the Vedic literatures that an Acharya plays a prime role in the development of Krishna bhakti in the heart of a disciple. In order to play that role of an Acharya, one must have extraordinary spiritual qualifications and purity.

Just months before his physical departure from this world Srila Prabhupada instituted a rtvik system of initiation thro’ a written directive sent to all its GBC’s and Presidents on July 9th 1977.

He made it clear in this written directive that he remained the diksa guru or the acharya of ISKCON and that his disciples acting as his representatives or rtviks would initiate new disciples as disciples of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. ISKCON Mumbai which is predominantly controlled by foreigners who are themselves voted in unauthorized gurus has disregarded this particular instruction and has manufactured its own system of succession. ISKCON Bangalore on the other hand tries to follow this and many other directives of the founder and acharya of ISKCON Srila Prabhupada strictly.

When Kirtanananda phones from West Virginia, I tell him that Prabhupada wants Mr. Foster converted to Vaishnavism.

“Impossible,” he replies. “We don’t agree on anything. I’ve just moved out to the back farm for some peace and quiet.”

“What about selling? Is he interested?”

“No, but he still favors five year leases on small parcels.”

“But we require the property!”

“Patience,” he says.

Impatient, I begin looking at real estate in the Poconos, near Wilkes-Barre. Prices, however, are prohibitive. Still, letters from Prabhupada keep pushing the conception of a rural ashram in West Virginia:

“We should always know that Vrindaban is not localized in a particular area, but that whenever Krishna is present, Vrindaban is automatically there. And wherever the holy name of Krishna is chanted, Krishna is present. There is no difference between Krishna and His holy name. So now Krishna is blessing a nice piece of land, resembling Vrindaban, to be a new place of pilgrimage for you Western devotees. So you must try for it.”

Satsvarupa has opened a fourth ISKCON center in Allston, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. From there, Prabhupada writes Kirtanananda, May 23:

“If this piece of land is turned into New Vrindaban, I shall forget to return to Indian Vrindaban. I am getting older and older, so actually if I get a peaceful place, as you describe, the rest of my life will be continued translating Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Goswami literatures, assisted by some of my disciples like you. So anytime you take me to your new hermitage, I shall be very glad to go there.”

Q1: What was the motivation and inspiration for conceiving and executing a project of this proportion?

The Krishna consciousness movement has wonderful things to offer to everyone. Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acharya, has taught us Lord Krishna’s instructions in such a clear way that they can be applied to any life situation to bring the best within oneself to achieve happiness. There is unlimited facility in today’s world to promote knowledge in various fields, in order to equip the society with the tools required to achieve happiness. But all these pertain to the temporary material sphere only. They cannot provide the real and eternal quality of happiness that we, the souls, are actually looking for. Any amount of material progress will not provide this. Thus although we have a very materially advanced world, we still have an unhappy, dissatisfied and disturbed humanity. Man is primarily spiritual and his real happiness lies at the soul level. He has to pay attention to develop his spiritual identity and serve his real needs along with his material pursuits. Specific attention has to be paid to develop the spiritual aspect of the society if real happiness and harmony have to be experienced. This is the service the Krishna Consciousness movement is doing for the world. This project provides a facility to disseminate Vedic knowledge in a practical and rational way for the benefit of as many people as possible.

ISKCON Bangalore — The Best Temple in ISKCON
By Sriman Gauridas Pandit Prabhu

If you treat Srila Prabhupada like he is alive, he is alive. To those who say he is dead and gone, to them he is. But in Bangalore Srila Prabhupada is alive and well! Very well.

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my respectful obeisances.

All glories to our jagat guru Srila Prabhupada!!!

I am very enlivened and impreesed beyond my expectations after visiting the Bangalore temple for the last 4 days. When you first approach the temple and get your first glimpse it is just awe inspiring. No picture I’ve seen does it justice. The temple is situated on a hill and and be seen for great distanes all around. The combination of the ancient and modern design is breathtaking. Now I see why pilgrims come from all over India and line up by the thousands to see the temple. Srila Prabhupada’s voice is heard nonstop in different areas some chanting japa, others singing bhajans and giving lectures. The Deities are powerful because of the chaste worship by the ever-increasing devotees, all Prabhupada anugas.

If you treat Srila Prabhupada like he is alive, he is alive. To those who say he is dead and gone, to them he is. But in Bangalore Srila Prabhupada is alive and well! Very well. I could sense it especially from the main Prabhupada Deity on the Vyasasana. In most temples he looks sad (Seattle, etc.) (probably due to the lipservice and dis-service to the new devotees who are directed away from him at initiation). Srila Prabhupada is carried around the temple to the different alters with powerful chanting of mantras and Kirtan.

The Kirtans in Bangalore are different also. The leaders volume is less and the response is more. The showbottlism you see in most places is absent in Bangalore. Attention and devotion is put on pleasing the Deities and Srila Prabhupada more than themselves. It is refreshing. At least 90% of the temple devotees (of over 100) attend the full morning program which is very enlivening. There are Kirtans one after another in 3 different temples then Gurupuja which is awesome.

The temple devotees are very nice and accomodating. Madhu Pandit Prabhu was very nice and gave me a special seat and lovely garlands from the Deities at the crowded puja ceremonies. I also stayed at the nice guesthouse ‘free’! Whereelse in ISKCON or anywhere does that happen? Even the devotee who signed the papers for the latest lawsuit against Bangalore came and Madhu Pandit Prabhu offered him nice accomodations showing the example that a devotee even treats his so-called enemies nicely. The devotee after observing the emple for a few days admitted that the temple is very nicely run and that is the way Srila Prabhupada would want it and he regretted signing the court papers. He said he would not do so again in the future. Another devotee involed in the case got into an accident and died so it is not looking too good for those who are trying to take away Bangalore from Srila Prabhupada and his true followers. It costs $11,000 every time they have to go to court and the lawsuits just keep coming. Srila Prabhupada would be furious at those devotees who are involved and they will get their day in the court of Yamaraja, I can guarantee you that. Bangalore is the only ISKCON temple to follow Srila Prabhupada’s orders to keep him as guru. That’s why they are so sucessful, feeding thousands daily Prasadam and distributing so many of Srila Prabhupada’s original books.

It would be a shame if the Kali chelas, Kali Yuga devotees, ever won away the Bangalore temple. They could not manage it so expertly and a divided house (among many ‘gurus’/or gundas?) cannot stand.

I know there are many different groups of Prabhupada anugas out there; Yasodanandans, Kapindra Maharaja and others everywhere and are sometimes critical of each other. But I am asking you all to unite for the common good of keeping Srila Prabhupada as our living guru now and forever. Let’s look beyond the bug on the windshield and see the road ahead, the road back to Prabhupada, that’s the road back to Godhead, others are detours to who knows where. Not anywhere I want to go! All glories to all of the devotees who take full shelter of the one and only Srila Prabhupada!

I advise any serious devotee who can to visit the Banglore temple and see what can happen if we just cooperate to serve Srila Prabhupada. Finally there’s light at the end of the tunnel!
Hoping this meets you all well and advancing in Krsna Consciousness!

The recent proliferation of gurus, both within and without ISKCON, appears to be like the proliferation of ambitious kings who were eventually annihilated by Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra 5,000 years ago.

How to Recognize the Acharya

The pioneer in any field always gets the greatest credit, because it is he only who opens the door to a new world, a new thought, a new horizon-like Columbus, who innocently chanced upon America, the New World, while searching for India. Columbus opened the door for a whole migration of humanity from Europe and all the world to eventually form the New World, or the United States of America, the most powerful nation on Earth.

So everyone after Columbus, however great he may be, owes his regards to Columbus for opening the door to the New World, and Columbus is never obliged to any late-comers or new-comers. Like Columbus, Prabhupada set out from India and opened the door to the spiritual world for the whole world, and every transcendentalist thereafter is obliged to Prabhupada. Prabhupada is never obliged to those coming after him, however great they may appear as individuals. Neither is he obliged to his contemporaries. That is the unique position of Prabhupada as the acharya of the entire Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya.

With this view in mind, everyone should see their way clear for uniting harmoniously under the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, the acharya of the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya, for preaching the great mission of Krishna consciousness all over the world as Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati envisioned it. Any individual or group obstinately remaining stuck up in their petty, egocentric conception of preaching Krishna consciousness is surely doomed to fail.

Here we wish to present some shastric evidence in support of the afore-mentioned conclusions. The following excerpts courtesy of Atma Tattva dasa:

The Founder-acharya is distinguished from all other acharyas, and his qualities and activities are outlined in the shastras:

He, the ocean of mercy, contributes great books for the welfare of the people that explain the meaning of Vedanta strictly in line with the previous Vaishnava acharyas and devotees. In this way he conquers all, defeating hundreds of different kinds of inauspicious philosophies by his arguments.

Because of engaging in the welfare of the people of the world, that perfect and topmost mendicant is certainly the most important Founder acharya (pradhana ). ( Prapannamrita Tarpana 62.47-53)

Just as Vyasadeva is recognized as acharya because he presented the Vedic literatures, so Prabhupada is recognized as acharya because of his making the Vedic literatures accessible to every man all over the world, and no one since has been able to contribute anything so significant. Rather, everyone is borrowing from him-his books are the standard.

Srila Prabhupada translated and wrote purports to the four essential Vaishnava literatures, namely to 18,000 verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 700 verses of Bhagavad-gita, 17 volumes of Chaitanya-charitamrita and the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu. He not only published these books and others; he also created a monthly magazine (Back to Godhead ). He also recruited thousands of young disciples in every country of the world, whom he engaged in distributing these literatures by the millions. Prabhupada wrote 7,000 letters (printed in five volumes) and gave lectures and personal darshans, a collection of which has been published recently by the Bhaktivedanta Archives, comprising another 42 volumes of books.

Srila Prabhupada initiated a whole new movement in the field of art, producing thousands of paintings, sculptures, music and dance performances.

Srila Prabhupada built temples in Bombay, Vrindaban and Mayapur, with comfortable and stylish hotel and guest houses for each place. His disciples opened and continue to maintain hundreds of temples worldwide.

Srila Prabhupada inspired the New Vrindaban-type farm communities all over the world. He started Gurukulas for teaching Krishna consciousness to children.

Srila Prabhupada taught a whole generation a new way of life from how to eat, how to dress, how to bathe and toilet, how to live as a gentleman in this world and how ultimately to leave this world for the next world, to go back to home, back to Godhead. NO OTHER PERSON ON THIS PLANET HAS PREACHED WORLDWIDE SO EXTENSIVELY. THEREFORE HE IS THE BRAHMA SAMPRADAYA ACHARYA. What Vyasadeva is to the Vedic age, Srila Prabhupada is to the modern age and for ages to come, because everyone is taking advantage of his books, temples and devotees to preach Krishna consciousness all over the world.

Please accept my most humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my many offences. As is my custom, I am speaking to you directly as I often do, writing you letters, offering prayers from within my heart, or speaking to your picture or murti. And it is truly remarkable that you are always there for me, although I am just an unworthy disciple full of faults and shortcomings, but because I am thinking of myself as your disciple, you have always remained my ever well-wisher, and dearmost friend.

As you know, I left the society of devotees in 1978, shortly after your departure because of profound philosophical confusion, and because I still had some material desires. But I promised you, I promised myself, that I would return when I was 50 to again take up this great mission of yours. I have since returned into the society of devotees, to fulfill the promise I made, and am writing to inform you of the changes I have witnessed since my return to this once glorious Hare Krishna Movement. I am sad to report however it is not entirely the same Movement that I left many years ago.

The temples I have visited in North America seem dried up and often devoid of life. The centers I remember when you were still personally present were all full to overcrowded, and there was great joy and much activity. I think this is due to three prominent issues, which I call to your attention. The first thing I noticed upon my return is the whole process of initiation has yet to be remedied. My godbrothers are still taking on disciples rather than initiating on your behalf as you instructed. Secondly, I noticed that your books were being changed! The translations and purports were being re-written. I was shocked by this, and could not believe this was happening! A cruel travesty was being perpetrated. And finally, to my surprise, I realized that devotees were being paid to perform their service. I remember when we performed our services and duties as an offering to you. We were performing devotional service, and working on your behalf, for the benefit of humanity. When did we become paid employees? In fact these three issues prompted me to write you this letter.

Of course I am not telling you anything you do not already know, for as you have shown me many times, you know what is in the hearts and minds of your disciples. And after all, we are materially conditioned souls, and there is a desire to Lord over material nature. The servant wants to become the master, the student thinks he is smarter than the teacher, and, as you have stated in the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, when one is poor in Krishna Consciousness, he has a need for material gain. So I should not be to surprised at the changes to your Hare Krishna Movement, but am nonetheless very disappointed and dismayed.

The Divine and Demoniac Natures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972 Edition)
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 16

The demoniac person thinks: “So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him; and my other enemy will also be killed. I am the lord of everything, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.

Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Pṛthā.

PURPORT

In this verse, the royal road to hell is described. The demoniac want to make a show of religion and advancement in spiritual science, although they do not follow the principles. They are always arrogant or proud in possessing some type of education or so much wealth. They desire to be worshiped by others, and demand respectability, although they do not command respect. Over trifles they become very angry and speak harshly, not gently. They do not know what should be done and what should not be done. They do everything whimsically, according to their own desire, and they do not recognize any authority. These demoniac qualities are taken on by them from the beginning of their bodies in the wombs of their mothers, and as they grow they manifest all these inauspicious qualities.

What Happened to the Hare Krishna’s?
Chapter Three
By Sriman Madhuvisa Prabhu

Once one gets a taste of Krishna consciousness he cannot remain without it. A drunkard cannot remain without a drink but a devotee is drunk with Krishna consciousness. The immunization against all material diseases is this Krishna consciousness.

What is a Hare Krishna Anyhow?

Receiving Krishna consciousness means receiving light. People are exhausted with the materialistic way of life especially in the West. Now the Krishna consciousness movement is giving new life to Western society… The great souls are always chanting about Krishna. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. They are also endeavouring with great determination in their devotional service. For instance in the Krishna conscious temples the devotees rise early in the morning at 4:00 A.M. and they immediately bathe. Then they go to mangal-aroti at 4:30 and after mangal-aroti they study the Vedic literatures. These are the processes by which we can awaken our dormant love for Krishna.

Because we are part and parcel of Krishna – just as the son is part and parcel of his father – there is a natural love between us. However somehow or other the son leaves home and forgets his father. The father of course never forgets his son. He thinks Oh, my son has left. If he would only come back! Krishna thinks in this way. We are all sons of Krishna and Krishna is more anxious to get us back home back to Godhead than we are to go. Therefore Krishna comes and says You rascal! Give up all this nonsensical material enjoyment. You have manufactured so many religions and dharmas. Just give them all up and surrender unto Me.” Krishna comes Himself and leaves behind His words. His words are also Himself because His words are absolute.

Madhavendra Puri appeared almost mad in his love of God. He loudly chanted and sang the names and glories of the Lord without thinking of the time or place. Sometimes in his ecstasy he didn’t know whether it was day or night. Sometimes he laughed and sometimes he wept. Sometimes he danced wildly and sometimes he fell to the ground unconscious. He took absolutely no interest in anything not connected with Krishna, and for fear of talking about anything other than the Lord, he always lived without a companion. He would eat only if someone offered him food—otherwise he would simply fast.

In many remarkable ways Krishna returned Madhavendra Puri’s intense love. Once Madhavendra was fasting and meditating beneath a tree in the forest of Vrindavana, where thousands of years before Krishna had played as a child. Suddenly a beautiful cowherd boy (gopala) came with a pot of milk and placed it before Madhavendra. “Please drink the milk I have brought you,” the boy said. Seeing the beauty of the boy, Madhavendra Puri became satisfied in his mind, and hearing these sweet words, he forgot all hunger and thirst. Then within an instant, the boy left the place and did not return. Madhavendra Puri’s heart was filled with wonder. Later, he realized who the boy actually was and cried out in; great ecstatic love: “I saw Lord Krishna directly—but I could not recognize I Him!”

Western religion usually teaches us that God is someone to fear and revere. In India, though, great spiritual masters have long taught that we can go beyond this limited conception and worship God as our master, friend, or child. And about five hundred years ago Madhavendra Puri taught that we can even worship God as our dear beloved.